Handled container



July 23, 1957 K. MATHEWS HANDLEID CONTAINER Filed June 2, 1955 INTOR.

United States Patent 9 2,800,268 HANDLED CONTAINER Katherine Mathews, Franksville, Wis assignor to Milprint, Inc., Milwaukee, Wi s., a corporation of Delaware Application June 2, 1955, Serial No. 512,77

3 Claims. (Cl. 229--52) The present invention relates generally to improvements in the art of packaging commodities, and relates generally to improvements in the construction and use of commodity containers provided with integral carrying handles.

A primary object of this invention is to provide an improved paperboard or cardboard container of simple and inexpensive construction adapted to effectively house and protect desired commodities and which is moreover provided with integral means for carrying the same.

It has heretofore been proposed to provide carton type commodity containers with various forms of carrying handles. In some cases, these handles have been formed separately of the container and are adapted for attachment to a convenient portion of the container. In other cases, it has been proposed to form the carrying handles integral with the blank of which the carton is formed. However, the formation of separate carrying handles is objectionable because of the added expense in the manufacture of such handles and the care and time which must be devoted to the assembly of the cartons. In the prior instances wherein the handle is formed integral with the blank, the handle is generally formed as an extending element from one edge of the blank and therefore requires the use of added material, and in other instances wherein an integral handle is provided, the handle is fragile and readily subject to tearing and often protrudes beyond the bounding edges upon assembly of the container thereby adding to the bulk thereof.

It is therefore a more specific object of the present invention to provide an improved commodity container or carton having an integral carrying handle and wherein all of the defects and disadvantages attendant prior structures of this general type are obviated.

Another specific objectof the invention is to provide an improved paperboard container adapted to be formed of a single blank and having an integral carrying handle formed directly from the body of the blank without any waste of stock.

Another specific object of this invention is to provide an improved and novel commodity container having an attractive integral carrying handle of exceptionally durable construction forrned directly within the blank from which the container is formed. 7

Another specific object of my invention is to provide novel and improved carton-like containers having an integral carrying handle formed therein which is normally nested within a cut-out in the wall or falls thereof and which is distendable for use at the will of the user.

Still another specific object of the present invention is to provide an improved container formed of a single paperboard or cardboard blank and having an elongated carrying handle formed within the bounding edges of the ,blank and adapted to normally lie Within the planes of the container walls but readily distendable to apositionoutwardly of the walls to form a convenient carrying handle.

A further specific object of the present invention is to provide an improved container comprising, a single paperboard blank scored to provide cooperating closure Wall 2,800,268 Patented July 23, 1957 portions, at least one of the wall portions having a cutout forming parallel guideways and providing an elongated integral handle member having one end hingedly connected to the blank while its opposite end is enlarged to provide extensions slidable along and beneath the guideways when the member is displaced to form a handle.

These and other specific objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description.

A clear conception of the features constituting the present invention and of the manner of assembling and mode of using cartons embodying the improvement and provided with integral carrying handles may be had by referring to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification, wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a paperboard blank from which a typical handled container embodying the invention may be formed;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the typical container formed from the blank of Fig. 1 and showing the-handle in inactive nested condition; V Fig. 3 is a similar perspective view of the same container but showing the handle in distended and active condition for carrying purposes; and

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the container with a partial section being taken along the'line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described herein as being embodied in a cardboard container of trapezoidal shape especially adapted for use in packaging certain commodities and provided with a flap portion with the handle member extending from one edge of the top wall and across the top wall into the ilap portion, it is not desired or intended to unnecessarily restrict or limit the scope of this invention by virtue of such specific embodiment, since the handle could be advantageously utilized with cartons or containers of various shapes and sizes with the handle forming member being cut from one of the side walls or the top or bottom wall and any one of the adjacent walls. It is contemplated that certain descriptive termsused herein shall be given the broadest possible interpretation consistent with the disclosure. I

Referring to the drawing, the typical commodity container or carton shown therein as embodying the invention comprises, in general, a single paperboard or cardboard blank 7 scored as along the lines 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 to provide cooperating closure wall portions shown therein as consisting of a bottom wall panel 22, side wall panels 23, 24, end wall panels 25, 26 and a top wall panel 27, the top wall panel preferably being formed with an integral flap portion or extension 28 integrally hinged thereto along the score line 29 and adapted to overlie the side wall 24 when the carton is assembled, the flap 28 being preferably formed with a further extension or flap 30 integrally hinged theretoalong the score line 31 and having a pair of locking tabs or cars, 32 extending laterally therefrom and adapted for reception within suitable slits or locking notches 33 formed in the bottom panel 22. In accordance with the present invention, the blank 7 is formed with a cut-out extending from the score line 20, which forms an edge of the top wall panel 27, transversely across the top .wall 27 and into the b y of h flap po t n 28 t e c -o u f rm n parallel guideways 35, p36 and providing an elongated integral handle member 37 having the end thereof originating at the scoreline 20 hingedlyconnected as at 8 to the blank while its opposite end is enlarged as at 39 :to provide lateral extensions 40, 41 slidable along and beneath the u d ys 5. 36 fl th ea of t fl p P rtion 2 nd-be ween the tier .8 and s y t s-id wa a! whe the blank is assembled and the handle member 37 is dis placed as shown in Fig. 3 for carrying purposes.

The carton forming blank thus described as embodying the present invention may be readily die-cut from suitable paperboard or cardboard with the aid of carton making machinery; and in the particular embodiment shown in the drawing, the side wall 23 is connected with the end wall by foldable wings 43, 44 and with the end panel 26 by wings or folds 45, 46 while the side panel 24 is connected with the end panel 25 by wings 47, 48 and with the end panel 26 by wings 49, St). The wings 43, 44 are hingedly connected to each other along a diagonal fold or score line 51 and are swingable inwardly along the score lines 16, 12 respectively, and the wings 45, 46 are likewise hingedly connected to each other along a diagonal fold or score line 52 and are also swingable inwardly along the score lines 17, 14 respectively. Similarly, the wings 47, 48 are hingedly connected along the diagonal score line 53, and are swingable inwardly on the score lines 13, 18 respectively while the wings 49, 50 are integrally hinged to each other along the diagonal score line 54 and are adapted to swing inwardly along score lines 15, 19 respectively. The flap 28 may or may not be provided as desired, but when the flap is provided and the elongated handle member 37 is cut therefrom as shown, the lateral extensions 40, 41 in the enlarged portion 39 of the handle are adapted to slide without interruption within the unobstructed space between the flap 28 and the adjacent wall 24 when the carton is distended for actual use. However, the handle member 37 could be formed directly in one of the side walls 23, 24 with the flap 28 being eliminated if desired, in which case the handle cut-out either opens directly to the carton interior or other means should preferably be provided for underlying the same to protect the packaged merchandise and permit uninterrupted operation of the handle. 7

In assembling the carton from the blank shown in Fig. 1, it is merely necessary to simultaneously swing the sets of wings 43, 44; 45, 46; 47, 48; 49, 58 inwardly along the respective score lines 16, 12; 17, 14; 13, 18; 15,19 thus automatically bringing the side walls 23, 24 and end walls 25, 26 into container forming position. The desired cornmodity or article may then be placed within the container and the top wall may be swung about the score line 28 into closed position with the flap 28 being swung about the score line 29 so as to overlie the side wall 24, the flap 28 being substantially co-extensive with the side wall 24. The flap may then be locked in position by swinging the extension 30 about the score line 31 so that the extension is positioned under the base or bottom wall 22 whereupon it may be locked in such position in an obvious manner by means of the ears 32 which may be inserted within the slots 33. While the carton is inactive and utilized solely for display, the handle member 37 remains nested within the cut-out as shown in Fig. 2 but when it is desired to utilize the member 37 for carrying purposes, the enlarged end 39 may be gently pressed inwardly of the cutout toward the side wall 24 so that the lateral extensions 40, 41 are displaced beneath the flap 28 and the guideways 35, 36 when the member 37 is subsequently pulled in an upward direction for carrying purposes as shown in Fig. 3.

From the foregoing detailed description, it is believed apparent that the present invention contemplates the provision of a commodity container or carton which may be readily formed from a single blank of paperboard or the like in a simple and inexpensive manner to thereby provide an exceptionally compact and durable unit. While the invention has been illustrated as being specifically embodied in a trapezoidal container, it may obviously be readily utilized in carton type containers of varying shapes and intended for diverse purposes. It' is also apparent that the sets of wings 43, 44; 45, 46; 47, 48; 49, 50 may be modified or eliminated and form no part of this invention, and a modification thereof could readily be made which would result in a carton of a somewhat different shape. Likewise, the flap 28 may be eliminated or modified without departing from the invention, and the flap 28 or the side walls could be locked in assembled condition with the aid of any suitable locking device. The shape of the handle forming member 37, and particularly the enlarged portion 39 thereof, may also obviously be modified as long as the member 37 is hingedly connected to the blank at one end and is provided with a suitable enlargement at the opposite end adapted to slide along and beneath substantially parallel guideways 35, 36. Containers manufactured in accordance with this invention have been placed in actual commercial use, and such containers have proven highly satisfactory and acceptable as well as attractive in appearance. The enlargement 39 on the carrying handle member 37 may be used as an extremely eye-appealing and eye-catching arrow pointing to indicia on the package to direct the purchasers attention thereto, and when so used the carrying handle serves a somewhat greater than utilitarian purpose and possesses considerable sales appeal.

It should of course be understood that his not desired or intended .to limit or restrict the invention to the exact details of construction or mode of operation herein shown and described, since various modifications within the scope of the appended claims may occur to persons skilled in the art to which this invention pertains.

I claim:

1. A paperboard container comprising, a single blank scored to provide cooperating closure wall portions and a flap portion adapted to overlie one of said wall portions, said blank having a cut-out originating at one of the score lines and extending into said flap portion to form parallel guideways and providing an elongated integral handle member having one end hingedly connected to the blank at said one'score line while its oppositeend is laterally enlarged to provide extensions slidable along and beneath said guideways within the area of said flap portion and between said flap portion and said underlying wall portion when the member is displaced to form a handle.

2. A paperboard container comprising, a single blank scored to provide cooperating closure wall portions and a flap portion adapted to overlie one of said wall portions, said blank having a cut-out originating at one of the score lines and extending through one of said wall portions and into said flap portion'to form parallel guideways and providing an elongated integral handle member having one end hingedly connected to the blank at said one score line while its opposite end is laterally enlarged to provide extensions slidable along and beneath said guideways within the area of said flap portion and between said flap portion and said underlying wall portion when the member is displaced to form a handle.

3. A paperboard container comprising, a single blank scored to provide cooperating bottom, side, end and top walls and a flap portion extending from said top Wall and adapted to overlie one of said side walls, said blank having a cut-out extending from an edge of said top wall across said top wall and into said flap portion to form parallel guideways and providing an elongated integral handle member having one end hingedly connected to the blank at said top wall'edge while its opposite end is laterally enlarged to provide extensions slidable along and beneath said guideways within the area of said flap portion and between said flap portion and said underlying side wall when the member is displaced to form a handle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

